House Standing Committee on Public Safety

Aloha. Welcome to this afternoon's hearing on the Committee for Public Safety. Today is April, Thursday, April 17, 2025. And we are in room 430 - conference room 430. And this hearing begins at 3:15. Let's see. Go over some housekeeping. Okay, this. So, this is for the, since there's basically not much testimony and only one RESO on the agenda, we must adjourn. This is not for the - sorry, I'm just looking at these new things. There's no time limits. Please keep yourself muted and your video off while waiting to testify. And after your testimony is complete.

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The first and only item on the agenda is Senate- Senate Committee Report- what? Sorry. SCR 20 requesting the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to comprehensively reevaluate its policies regarding in person contact visitation and at correctional facilities throughout the state to best support incarcerated persons in staying connected with loved ones who can help them on their journey of rehabilitation.

I believe the Department is. I don't have that layout of all the testimonies. Thank you very much. Still, we have one in person justifier from the State of Hawaii, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Johnson.

Good afternoon, Chair. Vice Chair. Members of the Committee, I'm Tommy Johnson, the Director of the Department of Corrections Rehabilitation. We support the intent of this measure and with or without this measure, I'll give you my word we'll review our policies and procedures to see if we can restart contact visit at all facilities.

Some facilities currently do have contact visits.

Thank you very much.

In person contact visits.

Yes. Thank you very much, Director. So I do acknowledge that there are 11 testimonies in support. Are there any testifiers in the room? No. Are there any testifiers? Anyone wishing to testify who is on the Zoom? None. Okay. Any questions? Oh, there is one on Zoom.

You guys can hear me?

Yep.

Okay. Hi. I think I'm the only one.

Aloha. Aloha. Okay. Mahalo. Chair Bellatti, Vice Chair Iwamoto and Members of the House Committee on Public Safety. My name is Panda Valdenarro and I am an MSW student at the University of Hawaii Manoa School of Social Work. I reside in Kaneohe, Hawaii.

I'm submitting testimony in support of SCR 20 which urges the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to reevaluate its policies regarding in person contact visitation at correctional facilities throughout the State of Hawaii. I believe that in person visitation plays a vital role in rehabilitation, mental well being and successful reintegration into the society at large.

I know there are numerous studies that show that in person visitation is directly linked to positive outcomes, inducing reduced disciplinary infections and improved post release success. This issue is deeply personal to me. My mother was incarcerated when I was younger. I was able to visit her regularly during that time.

And I believe that those visits made a tremendous difference not only for her, but for our entire family. They reminded her that she was still loved and still connected to the outside world and still had something to come home to.

That connections helped her stayed focused, follow facility rules and ultimately qualify for early release due to good behavior. Most importantly, she hasn't returned to jail since. I truly believe that without in person visits, her outcome could have been very different. Contrary to common assumptions, in prison visitation is not a major source of contraband.

And in fact, many correctional agencies acknowledge that staff mail and official channels are more common sources. Removing these visits harms incarcerated individuals without addressing the root of the contraband problem. In closing, I stand by my written testimony and urge you to support policies that protect and expand in person visitation. For my mom, it helped change her life.

For many others it could do the same. Cutting off that support system is not only unjust, it is counterproductive to the goals of rehabilitation and successful re entry. I want to mahalo you for your time, your consideration and your opportunity to testify. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Are there any other individuals hoping to testify. Seeing none. Members, any questions for the testifiers chair comment? Yes.

Thank you for being a good daughter and tell your mom hi.

I will. Mahalo.

Members, any other questions for either justifier? Okay. We currently have only four members, so we are lacking quorum. I believe we're going to recess until 3:40. 3:40.

Let's just recess subject to acquiring quorum. If we aren't able to get quorum by 3:40 simply because this is conference and it's a very crazy time and people are all over the place, we'll just re adjourn and then recess. At that time.

Okay, Sounds great. Thank you. So we're going to recess until 3:40 or until we have quorum?

Until we have quorum.

Until we have quorum. Thank you.

1.

Thank you. We are reopening the Committee on Public Safety. So now that we have quorum, we have six members present. I believe we can take a vote on this measure. The chair's recommendation Is to pass SCR 20 as is. Please take the vote.

Okay. Chair's recommendation is to pass SCR 20 as is. [roll call]. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you, everyone, for giving us quorum. Thank you. Adjournment.